The CTLT Teaching Assistant (TA) Institute offers a week of professional development workshops designed to support TAs as their roles evolve. Sessions are open to graduate students and undergraduate TAs.
This year’s Institute features three themed workshop streams. Participants who complete all but one workshop within a theme and submit a Theme Completion Form will be eligible for a Letter of Completion. This letter includes a brief description of the theme and highlights how your participation supports your development as a teacher. You are welcome to attend individual sessions without applying for a Letter of Completion.
Please note: The TA Institute is open to undergraduate and graduate TAs, as well as graduate students interested in teaching. It is not open to UBC staff or faculty.
During the Institute:
- Participants who complete all but one workshop within a theme and submit a Theme Completion Form will be eligible for a Letter of Completion. This includes arriving on time and staying for the full duration of the sessions.
After the Institute (submit by January 22, 2026 at 11:59 pm):
- Submit the theme completion form. Please complete this form only once and ensure you list all themes and sessions you have finished.
- Participants who meet the eligibility requirements will receive their Letters of Completion by the end of March. If you have met the criteria and have questions about your letter after that time, please contact CTLT.TAInstitute@ubc.ca.
- Fundamentals of TAship
- Establishing a Positive TA Experience Working with Faculty Members: Dos and Don’ts
- Marking, Assessment and Feedback as a TA
- AI in Teaching and Learning Spaces
- TA Resource Fair: Professional Development & Student Support Booths
- Time Management Skills for Graduate Students and TAs
- Supporting Multilingual Learners
- Facilitating Discussions
- Exploring and Supporting Inclusivity, Equity, Accessibility and Wellness
- Establishing a Positive TA Experience Working with Faculty Members: Dos and Don’ts
- Facilitative Teaching
- Social Class in Our Classrooms
- Experiential Learning Through Creativity and Reflection
- Neurodiversity and Inclusive Teaching
- Developing a Classroom Community
- Supporting Multilingual Learners
- Experiential and Transformative Learning
- Facilitative Teaching
- Social Class in Our Classrooms
- Games as Teaching Tools
- Experiential Learning Through Creativity and Reflection
- AI in Teaching and Learning Spaces
- Neurodiversity and Inclusive Teaching
- Developing a Classroom Community
- Facilitating Discussions
TA Resource Fair: Professional Development & Student Support Booths
January 14, 2026 | 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | In-Person Drop-In | IKBLC Seminar Room 2.22
Join our one-hour open booth session to connect with UBC experts and explore resources to enhance your teaching and professional journey. Get answers on student support services, instructional strategies, professional development, and more from campus representatives.
Gain guidance on handling challenging teaching situations, develop as an educator, or find support for your students. This is an opportunity to receive personalized advice, discover new tools, and expand your network in an informal setting. Attendance contributes to the Fundamentals of TAship theme.
Note that this room is located in the CTLT Office on the 2nd floor of the Irving K Barber Learning Center.
January 12
-
Establishing a Positive TA Experience Working with Faculty Members: Dos and Don'ts
- Session Format:
- Online
Explore how to build strong working relationships with faculty in online courses. This session helps TAs identify key elements of effective collaboration, address common challenges, and develop clear communication strategies. -
Facilitative Teaching
- Session Format:
- Online
Explore what it means to teach with learners rather than at them. This session introduces facilitative teaching strategies, showing how small shifts in stance, language, and structure can foster curiosity, collaboration, and student ownership. -
Marking, Assessment, and Feedback as a TA
- Session Format:
- Online
Learn practical approaches to marking, assessment, and feedback as a TA. We will discuss rubrics, calibration, and tools for supporting students, along with strategies to manage workload, prevent burnout, and navigate marking responsibilities with confidence.
January 13
-
Social Class in Our Classrooms
- Session Format:
- In-Person
This session examines how social class influences students’ access, time, and agency in learning. TAs will discuss strategies to address class-related challenges, respond supportively as issues arise, and foster greater class awareness through their teaching. -
Games as Teaching Tools
- Session Format:
- In-Person
Explore how play can transform learning. We will try a sample activity and discuss how TAs can adapt playful strategies to engage students, support understanding, and build collaboration. Leave with practical ideas for integrating games into your teaching. -
Experiential Learning Through Creativity and Reflection
- Session Format:
- In-Person
Discover how creativity and reflection can enrich learning. TAs will examine experiential approaches and design activities that strengthen engagement, foster critical thinking, and encourage students to take greater ownership of their learning.
January 14
-
AI in Teaching and Learning Spaces
- Session Format:
- In-Person
This session invites TAs to reflect on how AI tools, including ChatGPT, shape teaching and learning. Participants will examine benefits and challenges, experiment with AI platforms, and consider ways to integrate AI thoughtfully into classroom activities. -
Time Management Skills for Graduate Students and TAs
- Session Format:
- In-Person
Balancing TA duties and grad school can be challenging. This session offers practical strategies to manage distractions, prioritize tasks, and build effective time management habits through guided reflection and collaborative activities.
January 15
-
Neurodiversity and Inclusive Teaching
- Session Format:
- In-Person
Learn how small teaching choices can better support neurodivergent students. This session offers practical strategies for communication, course design, and assignment setup, helping TAs build more inclusive and accessible learning experiences. -
Developing a Classroom Community
- Session Format:
- In-Person
Building an inclusive learning environment starts with understanding how bias shows up in our teaching. This session offers TAs practical strategies for self-awareness, equitable communication, and fostering a strong sense of belonging in the classroom.
January 16
-
Supporting Multilingual Learners
- Session Format:
- Online
Supporting multilingual learners requires clear communication and intentional scaffolding. This session helps TAs address common challenges, model academic language, and use small teaching moves that strengthen comprehension and participation. -
Facilitating Discussions
- Session Format:
- Online
Teacher Discourse Moves offer a clear way to understand how instructors shape discussion. This session helps TAs apply these strategies in tutorials, labs, and online settings while addressing common challenges and building student-centered conversations.